Silent install not completely silent
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Silent install not completely silent
I am trying to package FreeCAD for it to be deployed through SCCM for company use which requires it to be installed in silent mode.
The /S argument is supposed to install FreeCAD in silent mode but it still shows this loading indicator when starting the installer:
1. Is there any way to avoid this? Maybe there are more arguments which I'm not aware of?
2. Also is there any way to get MSI installer, which is preferred from packager's perspective?
The /S argument is supposed to install FreeCAD in silent mode but it still shows this loading indicator when starting the installer:
1. Is there any way to avoid this? Maybe there are more arguments which I'm not aware of?
2. Also is there any way to get MSI installer, which is preferred from packager's perspective?
Re: Silent install not completely silent
uwestoehr wrote: ping
In the past we have used WIX that has created MSI installers but it's a PITA to maintain the installer scripts because each installed file must be explicitly listed. With the move to NSIS things have become much easier.Also is there any way to get MSI installer, which is preferred from packager's perspective?
Re: Silent install not completely silent
I tested this and this works. It only pops up for a fraction of a second what you showed as screenshot. This is just the initial cyclic redundancy check. You can ignore this.bolshed wrote: ↑Wed Jan 26, 2022 9:27 am I am trying to package FreeCAD for it to be deployed through SCCM for company use which requires it to be installed in silent mode.
The /S argument is supposed to install FreeCAD in silent mode but it still shows this loading indicator when starting the installer:
I'll nevertheless try if here is a way to get rid of this
Why is this preferred?
(MS is quite aggressive to only use its MSI format nowadays.)
Re: Silent install not completely silent
uwestoehr wrote: ↑Wed Jan 26, 2022 10:39 amI tested this and this works. It only pops up for a fraction of a second what you showed as screenshot. This is just the initial cyclic redundancy check. You can ignore this.bolshed wrote: ↑Wed Jan 26, 2022 9:27 am I am trying to package FreeCAD for it to be deployed through SCCM for company use which requires it to be installed in silent mode.
The /S argument is supposed to install FreeCAD in silent mode but it still shows this loading indicator when starting the installer:
I'll nevertheless try if here is a way to get rid of this
I did so an the result is there is no way to suppress this popup than to skip the cyclic redundancy check (CRC).
I built a new installer that allow this:
https://github.com/FreeCAD/FreeCAD/rele ... ller-3.exe
Take this installer and call it with
Code: Select all
FreeCAD-0.19.3-WIN-x64-installer-3.exe /S /NCRC
For information:
- the default setting of the installer is to install for the current user. If you need to install for all users, you must add the flag
Code: Select all
/AllUsers
Code: Select all
/D=C:\A path to FreeCAD with spaces
Code: Select all
FreeCAD-0.19.3-WIN-x64-installer-3.exe /AllUsers /S /NCRC /D=C:\A path to FreeCAD with spaces
Can you please give feedback if this works now for you?
Re: Silent install not completely silent
Sorry for the delay. Had some busy days.
Thanks a lot! It works as supposed - no dialogs.
Concerning the question about MSI vs. EXE this is an excerpt from the training I got in the beginning:
"There is a number of scenarios that should be checked/handled when performing automation tasks of setup.exe. These scenarios describe all available approaches for packaging of executables and following them ensures successful creation of a package. The most valid and desirable approach is to extract an .msi file (if available of course) from the executable and use it for software automation, because of the functionalities that Windows Installer offers (error handling, logging, repair, rollback, simple edit options). This also usually keeps the vendor’s application logic as much as possible, because in most of the cases all of the application installation activities are embedded into the msi. The setup executable is used only as a wrapper for the msi and performs some minor tasks like displaying language dialog, checking for prerequisites, etc. This is why you, as a packager, should always start your setup.exe validation from this perspective."
Thanks a lot! It works as supposed - no dialogs.
Concerning the question about MSI vs. EXE this is an excerpt from the training I got in the beginning:
"There is a number of scenarios that should be checked/handled when performing automation tasks of setup.exe. These scenarios describe all available approaches for packaging of executables and following them ensures successful creation of a package. The most valid and desirable approach is to extract an .msi file (if available of course) from the executable and use it for software automation, because of the functionalities that Windows Installer offers (error handling, logging, repair, rollback, simple edit options). This also usually keeps the vendor’s application logic as much as possible, because in most of the cases all of the application installation activities are embedded into the msi. The setup executable is used only as a wrapper for the msi and performs some minor tasks like displaying language dialog, checking for prerequisites, etc. This is why you, as a packager, should always start your setup.exe validation from this perspective."
Re: Silent install not completely silent
Many thanks for your feedback. I will then make the new installed the default for FC 0.19.3 and describe the silent options in our Wiki.
I don't understand. What the installer we provide does is:
1. unzip itself to a folder you specified as installation folder
2. setting file type associations in the registry according if it should be installed for all users or not. Register FreeCAD as application, adding a start menu entry, create a desktop icon if desired etc.
3. write a script that will be executed on uninstallation. This will remove folders and changes the registry.
All 3 things can also be done manually using regedit. In fact to change the registry the installer uses the API Windows provides. So the installer .exe is just a self-extracting ZIP (that's you why can unzip it as if were a plain ZIP) + a script that changes registry entries.
The MS installer system comes never into play.
- adrianinsaval
- Veteran
- Posts: 5548
- Joined: Thu Apr 05, 2018 5:15 pm
Re: Silent install not completely silent
Not available in FreeCAD's case I think...
Not the case for FreeCAD AFAIKThe setup executable is used only as a wrapper for the msi and performs some minor tasks like displaying language dialog, checking for prerequisites, etc.
Re: Silent install not completely silent
Hmm, this is new to me that someone wants to change the uninstall actions a program provides. Every program has for good reasons certain actions it performs, so it requires a lot of detail knowledge to improve or judge them. I request you to better report what you think are mistakes that all users can benefit from them rather than fixing them only for yourself.
It has, but not when being in silent mode. When I find time, I will have a look.
Reminder for me:
* https://nsis.sourceforge.io/Reference/LogSet
* https://nsis-dev.github.io/NSIS-Forums/ ... 54368.html
To what Wiki page do you refer?
Re: Silent install not completely silent
I found the time and here is a new installer for FreeCAD 0.19.3 that also logs the installation actions in silent mode:
https://github.com/FreeCAD/FreeCAD/rele ... ller-4.exe
It will write a text file named "install.log" to the installation folder of FreeCAD.
Re: Silent install not completely silent
I never noticed that we link a Wiki page for the installer at our download page. I update this Wiki page now:
https://wiki.freecadweb.org/Installing_on_Windows
https://wiki.freecadweb.org/Installing_on_Windows